Hay targets Birdsville Cup with Bangers And Mayo

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Rodney Hay is hopeful Bangers And Mayo can help fulfill a lifetime dream to win the Birdsville Cup next year when the former Toowoomba galloper makes his stable debut at Yeppoon on Tuesday.

Bangers And Mayo will be ridden by three kilo claiming apprentice Alisha Ross when the four-year-old takes on five rivals in the Benchmark 70 Handicap over 1400 metres.

Hay, a cattle grazier from Taroom, has been trying to win the famous Birdsville Cup - normally run each September - since he made his first trip in 2010.

Although he’s yet to win the Birdsville Cup, Hay finished second in the race in 2016 with the former Chris Waller-trained Campanology who was beaten in a photo.

“I paid $25,000 for Bangers And Mayo when I bought him off his previous trainer Tony Sears after he won at Kilcoy last month,” Hay said.

“He’s had two runs since when Tony trained him to win at Toowoomba then he ran third there last start.

“He’s here with me at Taroom now and he’ll be having his first start for me as his trainer.”

Hay originally bought Bangers And Mayo with the idea of winning the Birdsville Cup which was abandoned this year due to the travel restrictions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

“From what I’ve heard there will be two Birdsville Cups next year, one in April and the other in September,” he said.

“Hopefully, I’ve got another one who will go for the race after I won the Taroom Cup on Saturday with Coach.”

Hay trains a small team of seven horses on his 2,400-hectare property at Taroom, where he runs several hundred cattle.

Hay is unsure how Bangers And Mayo will perform in the small field at Yeppoon.

“I’m on a hiding to nothing,” he said.

“He likes to lead in his races if possible but it’s a small field and a couple of others also like to lead.

“Small fields can often prove to be traps.”

Hay will also saddle up Moriconi in the Class 3 Plate over 1100 metres while hopes to be in the winner’s stall as an owner with the Tom Smith-trained Tell The World in the QTIS Three-Year-Old Handicap over 1350 metres.